Ghost Boy
by tinylexie
Summary: The first meeting between Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy.


**Author's Note****: Harry Potter Wiki stated that Arthur Weasley had two brothers, but their names and ages were not given. There is the possibility that Bilius is his brother (that's not made clear); but since I want to give names to Arthur's brothers, I'm going to have Bilius be one of them. Also, I decided to make Arthur the oldest of his three brothers, as I think that fits his protective nature. I'm going to have Bilius be the youngest, and I've decided to name the middle brother Leo because I don't want to call him "the middle brother" for the entire story. Also, Leo means lion, so that's perfect for a future Gryffindor. Not to mention, Leo is a constellation, and I thought that it would be nice for Cedrella (who was born a Black) to have at least one child that follows the Black family tradition. And while it's true that the Black family disowned Cedrella for marrying Septimus Weasley, who they considered to be a Blood-Traitor, I wanted to show that Cedrella and her children are connected to the Black family (even if that does make both sides unhappy). You can deny blood all you want, but you will always be blood.**

**Additional Author's Note****: I also decided to not have this generation of Weasleys living at the Burrow, as it's not exactly clear when the family started to live there. I also like the idea of the Burrow being Arthur's and Molly's home instead of the Weasley family home that Arthur one day inherited from his father. For me, the Burrow not being an ancestral home makes it feel more personal and welcoming.**

**Additional Author's Note****: Arthur is ten in this story, Leo is eight, Bilius is six, and Lucius is six as well.**

* * *

Arthur was outside in his family's front yard and tossing a ball (which was about the size of a Quaffle) to his two younger brothers when he caught sight of two figures approaching them.

"See, Arthur, I told you that my aim has gotten better," Bilius grinned as he tossed the ball straight to the oldest of the three Weasley boys.

"Yes, it has," Arthur grinned back. Just a few months ago, whenever his youngest brother had tossed a ball, it had always went in every other direction but the right one.

"Well, now that his aim has gotten better, can we play something that's more fun?" Leo asked with a slight whine in his voice. "Just tossing the ball is boring. Can we play Quidditch?"

"You both know what happened the last time you were on broomsticks," Arthur replied. "Let's get you two used to being on the ground before we go back into the air."

Leo pouted, but he didn't try to argue. He remembered all too well how both he and Bilius had both fallen off their broomsticks when they had been trying to hit a Quaffle, which had resulted in a lecture from their mother about why they shouldn't do things that were dangerous.

Arthur smiled fondly at Leo before once again directing his attention to the two approaching figures.

They were now close enough for Arthur to realize that he had never seen either of them before.

The one in the lead was an elderly man with platinum blond hair that was more white than blond. Despite the man's old age, though, he didn't look frail. In fact, he walked with a confidence and a strength that Arthur had never seen before. It was clear that this was a man who was used to getting his way and would not hesitate to trample anyone who dared to get in his way.

It was a warm day, but as the man came closer, it suddenly seemed to get colder.

Arthur had to take his eyes off the man. He looked instead at the figure that was closely following the man. It was a pale, small boy with platinum blond hair that almost reached his shoulders.

The man and the boy had enough similarities in their appearances that there was no doubt that they were related in some way.

"Let's take a break for a minute," Arthur told his brothers. "We have visitors."

Leo, who was holding the ball, allowed it to drop down to the ground.

Arthur then directed his attention to the man and the boy.

"Hello, my name is Arthur Weasley," Arthur said politely to the man. "Can I help you with something today, sir?"

Arthur tried not to take much note of the expensive clothes that the two strangers were wearing. He had never seen his parents wearing such clothing. And while Septimus and Cedrella Weasley had always made sure that their children were provided for, Arthur knew that they were not wealthy.

And considering the boy's presence, the man was most likely not from the Ministry, as Ministry officials weren't known for taking their children with them to work (and especially not on personal house visits).

So, what could wealthy strangers possibly want with the Weasley family? Perhaps they had accidentally come to the wrong house. Perhaps the people they really wanted to see lived nearby.

"Weasley, you say," the man sneered. "I'm assuming this is where you live then."

The man inclined his head at Arthur's house with a look of clear disgust on his cold, arrogant face.

Arthur frowned slightly. It was true that his house wasn't big; but his mother made sure that it was always clean, and it was sturdy. There weren't holes anywhere, and the house wasn't in danger of suddenly collapsing or anything like that.

Both Septimus and Cedrella, however, had always taught their children to be polite to visitors; so Arthur forced himself to smile at the man.

The man, meanwhile, was looking at Arthur's two brothers, both of whom were uncharacteristically silent as they nervously looked down at the ground (refusing to meet the man's eyes). Arthur couldn't blame them. The man was looking at them as if they were worms that he was prepared to crush under his expensive boots.

The man's lips curled as he took in the clothes that the boys were wearing.

Arthur once again frowned slightly. It wasn't as if they were wearing rags or anything like that. And they weren't really that dirty. They just looked like children that were outside and having fun.

Arthur really tried not to notice how impeccably dressed the boy standing behind the man was and how not a single hair was out of place.

The man directed his glance back to Arthur. "Is your father home?"

"Yes, he is," Arthur answered, his voice respectful.

"Then go get him, boy," the man hissed. "Tell him that Abraxas Malfoy wants to see him."

Arthur recognized that name. His father often spoke of Abraxas in a manner that clearly indicated that he did not care at all for the man. And so far, Abraxas Malfoy was exactly everything that Septimus Weasley had always said that he was.

Arthur motioned for his two brothers to follow him, as he didn't really want to leave them alone with Abraxas Malfoy, not even for a moment.

Bilius and Leo were only all too happy to follow Arthur as he walked to the house.

Arthur, followed by his brothers, made his way into the kitchen. Both his father and mother were there, clearly preparing lunch for the family.

"Dad," Arthur spoke, "Abraxas Malfoy is here to see you."

"What?" Septimus exclaimed angrily. "I can't believe he would actually come here."

Cedrella looked at her husband somewhat nervously.

"It's okay, dear," Septimus said soothingly. "I'll try to get rid of him as quickly as possible. I'm not going to allow him to ruin our weekend."

Septimus then began to make his way out the kitchen, closely followed by his wife and children.

* * *

"What do you want, Abraxas?" Septimus hissed as soon as they were outside. "It's the weekend, and I'm trying to spend time with my family."

"Oh, how sweet," Abraxas drawled mockingly. "I had no idea that you were such a _family_ man."

Abraxas's voice then quickly took on a dangerous tone. "You know exactly why I'm here, Septimus."

"That bill you are trying to get the Minister to pass is wrong," Septimus replied.

"Not when it comes to protecting the rights of Purebloods," Abraxas snarled.

"And what about the Muggle-borns?" Septimus pressed. "This bill would prevent them from being able to get jobs at the Ministry."

"So, you're saying that you have no problem with a _Muggle-born_ getting a high-ranking position over a Pureblood," Abraxas hissed.

"That's not what I'm saying at all, Abraxas," Septimus sighed. "I think the most qualified person should be hired, regardless of their blood status."

"Muggle-borns will never be _qualified_ enough to be in our world, much less work for the Ministry," Abraxas responded.

"Enough of this," Septimus snapped. "I don't want to talk to you about this right now."

"Oh, you don't want to talk about this in front of your children," Abraxas spoke in mock concern. "I can understand that. They probably have sensitive ears, and we wouldn't want to say anything that might scar them for life, now would we."

"Perhaps we should take this inside then," Cedrella spoke, always the proper hostess. "I think we would be more comfortable sitting in the kitchen. I could get you something to eat or drink, Abraxas."

"As if I would want anything from _you_," Abraxas sneered.

"Well, what about your son?" Cedrella asked.

She looked at the small boy, who had been standing quietly behind his father the entire time.

"Lucius, isn't it," Cedrella inquired gently.

The boy didn't respond. He just looked at her with a face that could have been carved out of stone with as little emotion as he was showing.

"Are you hungry or thirsty, Lucius?" Cedrella tried again.

Lucius looked at her for a moment before finally shaking his head.

"Lucius, wait out here for me," Abraxas ordered. "I'll try not to be too long."

Abraxas then motioned for Septimus and Cedrella to lead the way, an annoyed expression on his haughty face.

Lucius and the three Weasley children watched as their parents walked into the house.

"Arthur, can we toss the ball again?" Bilius asked. "I don't want to just stand here."

"Sure," Arthur responded as he walked over to where Leo had left the ball.

Arthur really was worried about what exactly was going on between Abraxas and his parents, but he didn't want to worry his younger brothers.

The three brothers quickly gathered in a circle and began to toss the ball to each other.

It did not take Arthur or Leo long to start working up a sweat, as Bilius had decided that he was ready to start tossing the ball at a quicker pace. However, it quickly became clear that he was not ready, as his aim was no longer accurate. The two older Weasley brothers found themselves often having to chase after the ball.

Arthur, however, could not help but occasionally glance over in Lucius's direction.

The boy was standing exactly where his father had left him, as stiff as a board.

It just didn't feel right or natural to Arthur. Lucius looked to be about the same age as his youngest brother, and Arthur knew for a fact that Bilius was not capable of standing that stiffly or that straightly. Yet, Lucius had been standing exactly that way for several minutes with seemingly no effort.

Arthur couldn't be absolutely certain because of the slight distance between them, but it appeared as if Lucius was occasionally glancing their way with a look of longing in his eyes, as if he wanted to play as well. However, it appeared that the boy's desire to remain proper overcame any wish he might have had to do something fun and undignified.

"You two play for a while," Arthur suddenly spoke, tossing the ball to Leo. "I'm going to see if I can hear what's going on inside."

* * *

Arthur walked alongside the exterior of his house until he reached the kitchen window. He stopped right before reaching the window, however, so that no one inside would see him eavesdropping.

The window was slightly open (as it was a nice day), but Arthur was only able to hear voices. He wasn't able to make out anything that was being said. And it also appeared from the distance of the voices that Abraxas and his parents were not talking in the kitchen but elsewhere in the house.

"I would move before my father catches you eavesdropping," a boy's voice suddenly spoke from right beside him.

Arthur could not help but jump slightly, as he had not heard Lucius approaching.

Arthur then looked over at the boy. He had already noticed earlier that Lucius was pale, but at this closeness between them, the paleness was even more pronounced. In fact, Lucius almost looked sickly, as if he wasn't used to being outside.

Actually, Arthur couldn't help but think that Lucius looked a bit like a ghost, with both his paleness and his quietness in walking towards him without making a sound. Had the boy glided over to the window?

"My father doesn't like it when people try to eavesdrop on him," Lucius continued, his voice as emotionless as his face.

It really wasn't natural. Lucius had to be about the same age as his Bilius for crying out loud, and a child that age should not be looking as if they were carved out of stone.

"I just wanted to see if they were almost done," Arthur said.

"We should move away from the window," Lucius responded simply.

Arthur just shrugged his shoulders, but he decided not to argue the point anymore. He began to make his way back towards his two brothers, who were both tossing the ball to each other and occasionally looking in Arthur's and Lucius's direction.

Lucius, meanwhile, walked back to the spot where his father had left him. It was not long before he was once again standing as stiff as a board.

"Is there something wrong with that boy?" Leo asked.

Arthur immediately shushed him.

"Maybe we should ask if he wants to play with us," Bilius suggested.

"Hey," he then called out to Lucius, "do you want to toss the ball around with us?"

With that, he tossed the ball in Lucius's direction. His aim, however, was terrible; and the ball landed several feet away from the pale, ghostly-looking boy.

Lucius didn't move from his spot. He just stared at the ball, as if it was a foreign object he had never seen before.

"You're supposed to toss it back!" Leo yelled.

Lucius looked over at them, but he didn't say anything. Nor did he move.

"What's wrong with him, Arthur?" Leo asked. "Is he stupid or something?"

"Leo-'" Arthur began to lecture.

At that moment, though, the ball struck Leo right in his face with so much force that he was knocked to the ground. It was clear from the harshness of the impact that some accidental magic (as was normal when young wizards and witches got angry) had been used in Lucius's throw.

Arthur hissed slightly when his saw that his brother's nose was bloody and possibly broken.

Arthur then glanced over at Lucius, who was visibly seething with anger.

"At least I'm not blind," Lucius snarled at Leo, finally showing that he was indeed capable of expressing emotions and that he was not really stone that just appeared to look like flesh.

Arthur helped Leo back to his feet.

"Come on," Arthur then spoke. "Let's get you inside. Mum will get your nose fixed up real quickly."

Arthur glared at Lucius as he passed by him. "There was no need for that," he snapped at the younger boy.

"Oh, so that was wrong, but you have no problem with him calling me 'stupid,'" Lucius retorted angrily.

"Take Leo inside," Arthur told Bilius.

Arthur then directed his attention back to Lucius. "No, that wasn't right either," he spoke, "but I would have dealt with it."

"Oh, I've seen how well you are able to deal with your brothers," Lucius sneered. "They can't even play Quidditch properly. Instead, they make a mockery out of it by playing it on the ground like some filthy Muggles."

Before Arthur could say anything in reply, the front door to his house opened.

Abraxas Malfoy came walking outside, an amused expression on his face.

"I saw what you did to that boy's nose," Abraxas said to his son. "You broke it. I'm so proud of you, Lucius. You put that Blood-Traitor in his place. Good job."

Abraxas then noticed Arthur. "What are you doing by my son?" he snarled. "Get away from him. Your brother got exactly what he deserved."

Even though Arthur's body was shaking with anger, he stepped away from Lucius.

Abraxas then grabbed his son's arm. "Come, Lucius. Let's go before Septimus and his wife decide to make a big fuss out of what you did to their precious little son."

Lucius gave Arthur one final angry glare as he passed by him.

Arthur glared back at the younger boy before turning and making his way into his house, where he found his mother fixing Leo's nose.

"His nose was broken," Septimus said angrily to Arthur.

"Just forget about it, Septimus," Cedrella spoke. "The Malfoys aren't worth anymore broken noses. Arthur, can you wash up real quick and then set the table for lunch? As soon as I'm finished with Leo, we can eat."

"No problem, Mum," Arthur replied.

* * *

Arthur didn't fully know what to think as he made his way to the bathroom so that he could wash his hands in the sink. A part of him was upset by what Leo had said. He had been taught better than that.

But another part of Arthur was outraged by Lucius's violent reaction to Leo's insult, which had then been followed Lucius's verbal insult of Leo, Bilius, and Muggles.

One thing for certain, Arthur had a feeling that this would not be the last that he would see of Lucius Malfoy.


End file.
